Method and device for measuring pulmonary nodule volume using dual-energy substraction image

Abstract

A method and a device for measuring a pulmonary nodule volume using a dual-energy subtraction image are provided. The method includes: (a) obtaining a dual-energy subtraction image of a chest; (b) setting a specific region including a pulmonary nodule region in the obtained dual-energy subtraction image; (c) interpolating a gray level trend of a region surrounding the pulmonary nodule region into the pulmonary nodule region using a fitting function; and (d) measuring the pulmonary nodule volume by subtracting the interpolation result from the gray level data of the pulmonary nodule region. Accordingly, when it is desired to measure the pulmonary nodule volume using the dual-energy subtraction image, information on the thickness of the pulmonary nodule is obtained from the characteristic of the dual-energy subtraction image, and the pulmonary nodule volume is accurately measured by correcting errors at the border of the pulmonary nodule region using the fitting function.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0120026, filed on Dec. 8, 2005, and 10-2006-0042013, filed on May 10, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a method and a device for measuring pulmonary nodule volume using a dual-energy subtraction image. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths around the world. More than one million three hundred thousand people die of lung cancer around the world every year. In South Korea, more than twelve thousand people have died of lung cancer in 2002, and the death rate from lung cancer has been reported to be the highest of all. A pulmonary nodule is commonly observed on a chest radiograph an...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present invention provides a method of accurately measuring a pulmonary nodule volume using a dual-energy subtraction image.

[0010] The present invention also provides a device for accurately measuring a pulmonary nodule volume using a dual-energy subtraction image.

[0012] In the above aspect of the present invention, (a) includes: (a1) obtaining high and low energy chest x-ray images; and (a2) removing x-ray absorption effect of bone tissues from the obtained images.

[0019] In the above aspect of the present invention, the dual-energy subtraction image obtaining unit: obtains high and low energy chest x-ray images; and removes an x-ray absorption effect of bone tissues from the obtained images.

Problems solved by technology

However, it is difficult even for medical experts to determine whether a pulmonary nodule is benign or malignant.

However, when the shape of the pulmonary nodule is not a sphere, it becomes difficult to accurately measure the volume of the pulmonary nodule.

When using a CT radiograph, the accuracy of measuring the pulmonary nodule volume is relatively high, but the volume measurement error is still about 10%.

When CT radiography is used, the volume measurement error is mainly caused by imperfect extraction of the pulmonary nodule border.

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